Seal assembly with a load bearing ring

Abstract

A seal assembly is for sealing a space adjacent to a bearing and defined between an inner member and an outer member disposed about the inner member. The seal assembly includes an annular seal disposed about the inner member and having a sealing lip sealingly engageable with the inner member. An annular load ring is disposed within the outer member bore and has an inner circumferential surface defining a bore, the seal being disposed within the bore and coupled with the ring. A first axial end of the ring is disposed against the bearing outer ring, or a spacer disposed axially between the load ring and the bearing outer ring, and a second axial end is disposed against a radial surface of the outer member. The load ring is configured to support axial loading on, and to prevent axial displacement of, the bearing outer ring.

I claim: 
     
       1. A mechanical assembly comprising:
 a bearing, an inner member and an outer member disposed about the inner member, the inner member or the outer member being rotatable about a central axis, the outer member having an inner circumferential surface defining a bore and the bearing having an inner ring coupled with the inner member and an outer ring coupled with the outer member; 
 an annular seal disposed about the inner member and having a sealing lip sealingly engageable with the inner member; 
 an annular load ring disposed within the bore of the outer member and having an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface defining a bore, the seal being disposed within the bore of the load ring so as to be coupled with the load ring, a first axial end disposed against the bearing outer ring or a spacer disposed axially between the load ring and the bearing outer ring, and a second axial end disposed against a radial surface of the outer member, the load ring being configured to support axial loading on the bearing outer ring and to prevent axial displacement of the bearing outer ring; and 
 a cover plate providing the radial surface of the outer member and disposed against an axial end of the outer member, the second axial end of the load ring being disposed against the cover plate and the load ring being configured to transfer axial loading on the bearing outer ring to the cover plate. 
 
     
     
       2. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the outer circumferential surface of the load ring is frictionally engaged with the inner circumferential surface of the outer member so as to couple the load ring with the outer member. 
     
     
       3. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 1  further comprising an outer sealing member disposed between the load ring and the outer member. 
     
     
       4. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 3  wherein the load ring has an annular groove extending radially inwardly from the outer circumferential surface of the load ring and the outer sealing member is formed as an annular ring disposed at least partially within the groove and compressed between the load ring and the outer member. 
     
     
       5. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the load ring is formed of a rigid material and has a radial thickness defined between the outer and inner circumferential surfaces, the radial thickness of the load ring having a value of at least a substantial portion of a value of a radial thickness of the bearing outer ring. 
     
     
       6. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 5  wherein the seal includes a rigid annular case with an outer axial section disposed against the inner circumferential surface of the load ring, the axial section of the annular case having a radial thickness with a value of less than twenty-five percent of the value of the radial thickness of the load ring. 
     
     
       7. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the seal is sized and/or positioned within the load ring such that the seal is axially spaced from at least one of the bearing outer ring and the outer member radial surface. 
     
     
       8. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the seal includes a rigid annular case and an elastomeric sealing member molded to the rigid annular case and providing the sealing lip. 
     
     
       9. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 8  wherein:
 the rigid annular case includes an axial portion with an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface and a radial portion extending radially inwardly from the axial portion; and 
 the elastomeric sealing member has an inner radial portion molded to the radial portion of the annular case, the inner radial portion providing the sealing lip, and an outer radial portion molded to the axial portion of the case and having an outer circumferential surface sealingly engageable with the inner circumferential surface of the load ring. 
 
     
     
       10. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the seal includes a plurality of radial sealing lips each sealingly engageable with an outer circumferential surface of the inner member and/or one or more axial sealing lips each sealingly engageable with a radial surface of the inner member. 
     
     
       11. A mechanical assembly comprising:
 an outer member having an inner circumferential surface defining a bore and a first radial surface extending into the bore; 
 an inner member disposed within the bore of the outer member so as to define an annular space, the inner member or the outer member being rotatable about a central axis extending through the inner member; 
 a bearing rotatably coupling the inner member and the outer member and having an inner ring coupled with the inner member and an outer ring coupled with the outer member and disposed against the first radial surface of the outer member; and 
 a seal assembly for sealing a section of the annular space adjacent to the bearing and including:
 an annular seal disposed about the inner member and having a sealing lip sealingly engageable with the inner member; and 
 an annular load ring disposed within the bore of the outer member and having an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface defining a bore, the seal being disposed within the bore of the load ring so as to be coupled with the load ring, a first axial end disposed against the bearing outer ring or a spacer disposed axially between the load ring and the bearing outer ring, and a second axial end disposed against a second radial surface of the outer member, the load ring being configured to support axial loading on the bearing outer ring and to retain the bearing outer ring axially between the first radial surface of the outer member and the load ring or the spacer. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The mechanical assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein:
 the outer member is a housing including a removable cover plate providing the radial surface of the outer member; and 
 the load ring is disposed axially between the bearing outer ring and the cover plate such that the second axial end of the load ring is disposed against the cover plate, the load ring being configured to transfer axial loading on the bearing outer ring to the cover plate. 
 
     
     
       13. The mechanical assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein the outer circumferential surface of the load ring is frictionally engaged with the inner circumferential surface of the outer member so as to couple the load ring with the outer member. 
     
     
       14. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein the load ring has an annular groove extending radially inwardly from the outer circumferential surface of the load ring and the seal assembly further includes an annular seal ring disposed at least partially within the groove of the load ring and compressed between the load ring and the outer member. 
     
     
       15. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein:
 the load ring is formed of a rigid material and has a radial thickness defined between the outer and inner circumferential surfaces, the radial thickness of the load ring having a value of at least a substantial portion of a value of a radial thickness of the bearing outer ring; and 
 the seal includes a rigid annular case with an outer axial section disposed against the inner circumferential surface of the load ring, the axial section of the annular case having a radial thickness with a value of less than twenty-five percent of the value of the radial thickness of the load ring. 
 
     
     
       16. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein the seal is sized and/or positioned within the load ring such that the seal is axially spaced from at least one of the bearing outer ring and the outer member radial surface. 
     
     
       17. The mechanical assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein the seal includes:
 a rigid annular case including an axial portion with an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface and a radial portion extending radially inwardly from the axial portion; and 
 an elastomeric sealing member molded to the annular case and including an inner radial portion molded to the radial portion of the annular case, the inner radial portion providing the sealing lip, and an outer radial portion molded to the axial portion of the case, the outer radial portion of the seal having an outer circumferential surface sealingly engageable with the inner circumferential surface of the load ring. 
 
     
     
       18. The seal assembly as recited in  claim 17  wherein the inner radial portion of the sealing member includes a plurality of radial seal lips each sealingly engageable with an outer circumferential surface of the inner member and/or one or more axial sealing lips each sealingly engageable with a radial surface of the inner member. 
     
     
       19. A seal assembly for sealing an annular space adjacent to a bearing and defined between an inner member and an outer member disposed about the inner member, the inner member or the outer member being rotatable about a central axis, the outer member having an inner circumferential surface defining a bore and the bearing having an inner ring coupled with the inner member and an outer ring coupled with the outer member, the seal assembly comprising:
 an annular seal disposed about the inner member and having a sealing lip sealingly engageable with the inner member; and 
 an annular load ring disposed within the bore of the outer member and having an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface defining a bore, the seal being disposed within the bore of the load ring so as to be coupled with the load ring, a first axial end disposed against the bearing outer ring or a spacer disposed axially between the load ring and the bearing outer ring, and a second axial end disposed against a radial surface of the outer member, the load ring being configured to support axial loading on the bearing outer ring and to prevent axial displacement of the bearing outer ring; 
 wherein the load ring is formed of a rigid material and has a radial thickness defined between the outer and inner circumferential surfaces, the radial thickness of the load ring having a value of at least a substantial portion of a value of a radial thickness of the bearing outer ring, and the seal includes a rigid annular case with an outer axial section disposed against the inner circumferential surface of the load ring, the axial section of the annular case having a radial thickness with a value of less than twenty-five percent of the value of the radial thickness of the load ring. 
 
     
     
       20. A mechanical assembly comprising:
 an outer member having an inner circumferential surface defining a bore; 
 an inner member disposed within the bore of the outer member so as to define an annular space, the inner member or the outer member being rotatable about a central axis extending through the inner member; 
 a bearing rotatably coupling the inner member and the outer member and having an inner ring coupled with the inner member and an outer ring coupled with the outer member, the outer ring having a raceway surface facing toward a first axial end of the outer member; and 
 a seal assembly for sealing a section of the annular space adjacent to the bearing and including:
 an annular seal disposed about the inner member and having a sealing lip sealingly engageable with the inner member; and 
 an annular load ring disposed within the bore of the outer member between the bearing outer ring and the first axial end of the outer member, the load ring and having an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface defining a bore, the seal being disposed within the bore of the load ring so as to be coupled with the load ring, a first axial end disposed against the bearing outer ring or a spacer disposed axially between the load ring and the bearing outer ring, and a second axial end disposed against a radial surface of the outer member, the load ring being configured to support axial loading on the bearing outer ring and to prevent axial displacement of the bearing outer ring.